Goodbye Solitaire
by Roadkill2580
Summary: When they met 50 years ago, they were ready to swear off solitude and welcome each other... InuKik
1. Default Chapter

_**Goodbye Solitaire**_

_**Chapter One**_

_In The Darkness Of Solitude…_

:Kikyo:

I tended to the herb garden in silence, enjoying my quiet time.

" Kikyo-oneesama! Kikyo-oneesama!" I felt the twinge of annoyance all older siblings felt when their alone time was interuppted when Kaede called for me. I stood, two baskets carefully balanced on each hip, one with weed, one with herbs.

" Hai, Kaede-chan?"

" The demon slayers are here," Kaede relayed to me dutifully. My eyebrows shot up. They were two days early.

" Hmm. Arigato, Kaede-chan. I'll go greet them," I smiled gently at my younger sister and handed the baskets to the younger child. Then, I began to walk to the temple, where the taijiya were no doubt waiting. I was notified a few months earlier from my former master that the demon exterminators would arrive soon to give me the Shikon no Tama, a cursed jewel they could not protect as well as they had hoped.

I arrived at the back of the temple and walked around, only to be greeted by a sight of maybe eight demon slayers, all looking middle aged. _' Probably because they have much more experience than others.'_ I thought to myself.

" Are you Kikyo-sama?" The one in the front asked. I nodded.

" I am Ishinomatari. Please call me Tari. We have come from the mountains to deliver the Shikon Jewel safely to you, in hopes that you could protect it better than us," Tari said. I nodded solemnly.

" I understand," I said. Thunder clapped nearby, and my hairs stood on end as the demon slayer pulled out a box. I stepped forward, my pale hand outstretched to open the wood case. As my delicate fingers touched the wood, rain began to pour down. The box was opened, and I took in he sight of the Shikon no Tama. It was pretty and gaudy at the same time. The jewel glittered pink, and with my sensitive sight, I could see the pink and blue aura that looked like sparkles leap off the trinket. It was attached to a delicate looking chain that looked so breakable.

" The chain is made from demons teeth and fang, priestess-sama. However fragile it looks, it is sure to be very strong, even against youkai," Another taijiya spoke. I glanced at her and nodded.

" Very well. I assure you, the Shikon no Tama will not fall into the hands of evil," I said evenly. Tari nodded, and lifted the Shikon from the box. I cupped my pale hands and the pink jewel along with the youkai chain were dropped into my hands.

" Good day to you, Kikyo-sama," Tari bowed.

" Please, stay and rest up before you leave. I would hate for you to be hurt on your way back," I requested.

" I apologize, miko-sama, but we must leave. We will arrive safely back to our village, we assure you. We pray that you stay safe," Tari smiled. I nodded and watched the group leave me village, leaving me with a terrible, cursed jewel.

:About eight months later, Inuyasha:

My furry ears twitched as I picked up on the conversation going on below me.

" Didn't you hear? The Shikon no Tama is in the village, Edo!" A youkai whispered excitedly.

" Shikon no Tama?"

" It's a jewel that can grant anyone any wish,"

" Mmm. Sounds promising. In the village of Edo you say?"

" Hai, hai. But I would wary…" I didn't hear the rest of it. I was already heading south towards Edo. That jewel would be mine. But it would have been wiser to stay…

" …Afterall, there is a powerful miko guarding the jewel named Kikyo. No demon has ever survived an ecounter against the great miko,"

" A miko? That doesn't sound pleasant for anyone with youkai blood."

:A Few Days Later:

I spied the small village below. It was rather simple and boring. The adults woke at dawn, the wives made breakfast, before everyone old enough left for the fields. The younger ones stayed with those too old to work, or did not run a shop. Those slightly older ran errands and helped look after the young. I growled to myself. _'There is no jewel here!'_ At least, that what I thought, until I saw a pale miko walk out of the temple with a pink jewel in her hands. My eyes went wide. _'That's it! Dammit, that stupid youkai never mentioned a miko. That jus makes things harder…'_ The miko approached the woods, coming closer to my perch. My ears laid back and I crouched. In a blur, I had launched myself at the rapidly disappearing priestess. Three 'twang's rang sharply in ears before blurry arrows were lodged into my clothing, pinning me to a tree. I growled. _'How did she do it!'_ I wrestled around a bit, trying to get out of the hold I was in, though obviously no trying my hardest. The priestess approached me.

" You have been watching me for two days," She said indifferently. I snarled back at her, swiping my claws.

" What is your name?" She questioned. I glared at her.

" Well? Or do you not have one?" I narrowed my eyes, and decided I had enough of hanging off the tree. I violently ripped my arms and leg from the arrows and dashed off ino the woodland, the pale miko looking after my fading figure.

:Kikyo:

I stared after the strange inu youkai with curiosity. Inu youkai were notoriously arrogant, prideful, and tempermental. They also kept to themselves and had great confidence in their own powers. _'So why would one want the Shikon no Tama?'_ I shrugged it off and returned to the village. Hopefully, the strange inu youkai wouldn't come back. Because for some reason, I didn't want to kill him. I shook the strange thoughts away and went back to my herb garden. I began to weed, the dirt gathering underneath my dull human nails. I put the weeds in one basket. Then, I began to gather the herbs that were ready to be picked. I balanced each basket on my hip, before going back to the temple. The weeds could be used for fire fuel, and the herbs would be useful for healing and potions.

" Kikyo-oneesama?" I turned and looked at Kaede.

" What is it, Kaede?"

" I found this out in the forest," It was a carelessly wrapped piece of parchment, rather old looking. It was no bigger than my palm, and on the front, it had _'Priestess'_ in an unused scrawl. I unfolded the parchment slowly, so I wouldn't rip it. When it was spread out, I blinked owlishly. All it said was _'Inuyasha'_ on it. And then suddenly I clicked.

" Dog demon…" I murmured to myself. Then, I smiled softly and gazed at Kaede.

" Where in the forest did you find it, Kaede?"

" Near the Goshinboku," I nodded, and placed the folded slip into my sleeve. It would seem, that the inu youkai would remain near the village for a time.

:Inuyasha:

I wondered briefly as I wrote that small note if I should do it. By the laws of dog demons, I should never give out my name unless I had a great amount of trust in that person. Dog demons were hard to track down, and not knowing their name made it even harder. Still, I figured since I would be trying to steal from her, that she would deserve to know my name. Afterall, I might leave with her blood on my claws. The next thing I wondered about was if she would understand it. I never learned many words, and could write and read a few basic ones. That thought was quickly erased when I thought of what my name meant. _'She probably thinks I'm a full youkai. Keh, yeah right.'_

I reclined in the large tree, watching the village with my enhanced vision. Twigs snapped and again, the small girl stepped into the clearing, looking directly at the Goshinboku. I turned my dull eyes on her, wondering what she would do if I decided to jump. Would she scream? I smirked at the thought. Then I remembered how much screaming hurt my ears. Which made me scowl. I knew she couldn't see me, because the thick foilage hid me. I finally had enough of waiting, especially since the girl's brown eyes were becoming unnerving. I leapt down. She gasped, took a small step, and nervousness and a slight tinge of fear entered her scent.

" Inu youkai…" My ears twitched at the soft spoken words.

" What, the priestess didn't tell you my name yet?" I snapped. I sat back on my haunches, gauging her reaction. The tenseness in her shoulders was present, but the fear had faded away. I could tell by the way her legs were positioned she was going to run for the miko.

" Don't even think about running. Dogs like a good chase. What makes you think it would be different for inu youkai and hanyou?" I stood to my full height, cracking my knuckles, neck, and back in the process. I saw her swallow and edge away from me.

" What? I'm not gonna eat ya. For one, only weak demons would feast on humans. Besides, I don't go after children. It ain't right," I snorted. The child seemed to relax a little bit more.

" What's your name?" She asked. I had to congratulate her. Her voice was steady, loud, and clear. If it weren't for my sense of smell, I wouldn't be able to tell she wanted to run from he clearing, screaming her head off.

" Keh. Inuyasha," I crossed my arms over my chest and glared down at the small girl.

" I am Kaede," Kaede held out her small hand. I blinked at it.

" Eh?" Kaede sighed.

" Nevermind," I huffed.

" Hey, kid, so what can you tell me abou that priestess? Age? Name? Any siblings?" Kaede glared at me.

" I could tell you, but you would probably use that information against her," I scowled.

" Look, the only thing I could use against her would be the sibling factor, and I don't do shit like that. I just want the jewel, and then I'm gonna leave ya guys alone," Kaede eyed me carefully.

" Her name is Kikyo. She is eighteen years old. I am her younger sister, and her only sibling."

" Hmpf. You're not half bad…for a human," Kaede huffed and stomped her foot.

" How dare you insult my race like that!" She yelled. My ears flattened themselves to my head.

" Hey! Lower you voice, its hurtin' my ears!" I snapped back. Said ears twitched when I heard the faint whistle of an arrow. I narrowly dodged the projectile and I fled into a nearby tree. I glared down at Kikyo from my perch. I growled at the miko and bared my fangs.

" So Inuyasha, this is where you've been," I wrinkled my nose at her and didn't reply. Kaede looked back and forth between us.

" Kikyo-oneesama, Inuyasha is kind of nice," Kikyo looked down att the child and blinked in surprise.

" I ain't nice. I just don't go around killin' humans or children like other youkai," I grumbled.

" So you can speak," Kikyo said, amusement coloring her tone. I snarled at her.

" Of course I can talk, I jus decide not too. 'Sides, I'm just here for the jewel, and that's it. I'm not here for chit chat. I'd appreciate it if you would lower that weapon of yours too, 'cause I ain't gonna steal the Shikon. At least not right now," I jumped across the clearing to the tall tree I was in previously, and reclined in its lower branches so the human girls could still see me.

" Ne, Inuyasha, do you have any siblings?" I stiffened.

" Yeah, and he's a damn bastard. I suggest you stay away from that subject, since he's a human hater. You so much as annoy him and your guts will be coverin' the ground. 'Course, I don't see him much. He's stuck up, and a pain in the ass,"

" So we can assume that you inherited that from him, no?" Kikyo's lips upturned.

" If I were anything like him, I would've killed ya by now. 'Course he is smart enough not to kill kids. But usually, that's just demon kids. He hates me, and I hate him. That's it. Haven't seen him a couple of decades," I yawned, but inwardly, I was glad that I hadn't seen Sesshomaru in decades. I looked back at the humans and snorted before leaping off into the darkening sky. No reason for them to see my human night. Let them believe I was youkai. Afterall, ignorance is bliss.


	2. Chapter 2

_**Goodbye Solitaire**_

_**Chapter 2**_

_Fear Of Solitude_

Kikyo-

I splashed the cold water over my face, my bangs becoming damp. I wiped the water from my mahogany eyes. I pondered the demon Inuyasha. He was a strange one. He did what wanted whenever he wanted, and had some semblances of honor, however twisted they may seem. But one thing held true: He didn't harm innocents or children. That much was proven by the amusing conversation he and my sister had held. I couldn't deny that he was attractive, or that his furry dog ears were just adorable, but I had to face the facts. The arrogant, foul mouthed demon was after the Shikon, and had no problems showing it.

The hairs on the back of my neck rose as I sensed said demon's aura. I also felt another one. Both of which were heading in my direction. A large oni burst through the trees, Inuyasha right behind it.

" Give me the Shikon!" It roared. I grabbed my bow and knocked an arrow, but Inuyasha had attacked.

" Iron Reaver Soul Stealer!" Golden blades of youki left their mark on the oni's back.

" You damn half-breed! I will not let you get the Shikon!"

" Hell no, the Shikon is mine, and you ain't getting it!" Inuyasha growled at the oni, and dodged the oni's claws. He was graceful, strong, and fast. Much faster than he let on.

" I know why you want the Shikon, you filthy mutt. You want to become full demon," The oni spat. My jaw dropped slightly. Inuyasha wasn't a full demon? Inuyasha snarled, and he leapt at the oni. His arm was extended, claws spread from each other in a grabbing motion. His arm went through the oni's chest, and on the otherside, I saw a large heart in his hands. My face lost its color. The oni fell, dead. Inuyasha landed on the ground. He turned to me.

" What? You never seen demons fight?" Inuyasha folded his arms. I noticed his red kimono wasn't covered in blood, but his hands were. _'But those aren't hands…they're claws…'_

" You are not a full demon," Inuyasha stiffened.

" The only reason why I killed that oni was because it was going after the Shikon. So don't get any thoughts about me saving you," Inuyasha walked beside me and kneeled in front of the river. He carefully pulled back his sleeves before plunging his crimson claws into the river. He scrubbed his hands continuously, even after the blood had disappeared and his claws become raw red.

" Why do you keep scrubbing? The blood is gone," I inquired. It was an innocent question asked in an indifferent tone. Inuyasha paused, and without looking at me, he answered.

" Because I can still smell it. I smell death and blood on my hands," Inuyasha looked up at me.

" Do you know why demons hate and fear priestesses and priests like you so much?"

" Of course. Because we have the ability to purify demons, or those with youkai blood," Inuyasha chuckled darkly.

" That's only a small reason why. The main reason is because you smell," I took on an offended look.

" How dare you…!" The hanyou cut me off.

" Not like that, stupid. You reek of death. And not just any death. Youkai death. We can smell it every damn time we come near you. It's on your weapons and clothes. It's on **_you_**. Young youkai are scared out of their wits when they can smell their own kind on you and the smell of death. Older youkai hate you for it, knowing you have killed so many of their kind, be it in good intentions or not. Just like humans hate youkai for killing them, wrongfully or not. But we can smell the death all around you. The blood may be gone, but the scent is there," Inuyasha said. He stood to his full height, which inwardly intimidated me. I kept my indifferent face on, but inwardly, I was so frightened. He had made me feel so dirty, telling me he could smell youkai death on me. His amber eyes glared into my own mahogany orbs.

" What else can you smell?" I whispered.

" Your fear," Inuyasha replied. My eyes widened, and I clutched my bow tighter. His piercing gaze made me feel weak and naked. Like he could see through my soul. Inuyasha stepped away from me and walked away. Like a human. He wasn't jumping or running with his enhanced powers. He was walking.

Inuyasha's figure had disppeared into the dark forest when I finally spun around. My bow slipped through my weak fingers and I fell to the ground. I was so scared. I tore off my clothes and plunged into the water that still held remnants of blood. I scrubbed and scrubbed myself until my skin turned pink. I grabbed my clothing and washed them over and over again. I finally stopped and slid into the water weakly. His amber eyes haunted me. His words drove me to near insanity. Inuyasha was so dangerous. I had never encountered a inu youkai before, but if he was only half and just his words caused me to feel this weak…I stood with new resolve. I dressed and grabbed my bow and quiver. Inuyasha was very dangerous, half-demon or no.

Inuyasha-

My ears twitched as I heard Kikyo wash herself repeatedly. I looked at my claws. They were powerful tools of destruction. But they weren't powerful enough for me. I watched Kikyo return to the village, and a strange scent wafted through my nose. It was vanilla and herbs. It was very calming. I sat up as I realized what it was. It was Kikyo's scent. She had managed to wash away the death. I sat back and smirked to myself. _'She should bathe more often…she smells good…'_

I dashed through the trees after Kikyo, keeping my eyes on her. Finally, Kikyo spun, two arrows flying at me. Once again, I was stuck to a tree. _'I'm really beginning to hate this position.'_

" Hey! What'd I do this time! Gemme down from here!" I yelled after her. Kikyo spun around, her eyes sparking with anger.

" You were following me. You were going to try to steal the Shikon again. I was just preventing it," Kikyo turned back around and began her trek back to the village. I growled angrily at the miko's back. I struggled out of the hold of the arrows and leapt off into the forest.

I approached the river and peeled off my clothes. I dived in, my hair silver hair flowing behind me. _'Stupid wench…'_ I returned the surface and washed myself the best I could without any soaps. _'She can sense me every time…This sucks…'_ I sunk into the cool waters, pondering the best way to steal the Shikon no Tama from the master archer miko. I growled angrily, my brows furrowing. _'I have to surprise her…but how do I do that? Dammit!'_ I rose from the water, droplets falling from my body. I dressed quickly, before dashing off into the forest for a hunt. It would do me some good.

A Few Hours Later-

I finished the deer off, quite content. I leaned back, ears twitching. The sun was just beginning to set, and the last warmth of the rays washed over me. I reclined in the tree, watching the sun fade and shadows cast over the village. Villagers were beginning to leave the fields, and smoke rose from the huts as their meals were being fixed by the women. My mind floated back to the conversation I held with Kikyo. _'Why did I tell her that? I didn't need to answer her question. But…why did she clean herself afterward? And why the hell haven't I just killed her yet?'_ I scowled to myself. _'Damn human half._ _This is no time for sentiments. I'll get the Shikon no Tama and be on my way.'_ I stood and stretched before settling down to rest. Tomorrow, I would go after her.

Next Day-

I watched the village carefully, looking for Kikyo. Well, it was quite simple to find the shrine priestess, but I had to wait for her to be alone. Finally, I spotted her leaving the village heading out to a field. I smirked to myself. _'All to easy.'_

I ran through the trees silently, following Kikyo. The priestess stopped every now and then, but I was waiting for the perfect moment. She kept her arrows close, and wouldn't put them down. At last, she reached a large clearing with trees with leaves that were already beginning to turn orange, red, and yellow with Indian Summer. I jumped in a large tree and waited, the colorful leaves hiding me. Then, five or six children appeared and Kikyo cautiously put down her bow and quiver. The children smiled widely and began to take Kikyo's hands and spin in circles. Kikyo smiled softly and entertained the village children for awhile. My heart squeezed itself painfully. I couldn't just attack the priestess while she was with those kids.

" Kikyo-oneesama?" One of the children asked.

" Hai?"

" Will you be here to protect us forever?" The same child inquired. Kikyo paused and looked directly at me. To the children, it appeared as if she was pondering her answer. Then, Kikyo spoke.

" I cannot promise I will always be here, but, I'll stay as long as I can. That, I can promise," Kikyo replied softly. I furrowed my brows. I understood honor and promises. And I would help Kikyo keep her promise as long as possible. I looked back into Kikyo's eyes. We held a silent conversation.

_" I'll let you keep your promise."_

_" Why?"_

_" Because I understand."_

OoooooooOOOOOOOOOOOOooooooooOOOOOOOOOoooooooooooo

There, second chapter. Be happy, stay happy.


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